Sidhartha Mukherjee, popularly known as Sammy, and his wife Sunita, an Indian couple in North Texas, who became local celebrities because of their Bollywood-style performances, have been arrested for allegedly defrauding more than 100 people in a fake investment scheme worth over $4 million. Prosecutors said they led a very glamorous life to gain people’s trust, hosted high-society events, Bollywood-style galas and became charitable community figures. But at those events, they used to convince people to invest in real estate projects that never existed. “They will make you believe that they are very successful businesspeople,” alleged fraud victim Terry Parvaga told CBS News. “But they will take every single penny you have.” The investigation into the Mukherjees began nearly two years ago when Euless Police detective Brian Brennan agreed to take on the case after several complaints from victims were dismissed as civil disputes. Brennan told the CBS News that a couple claimed that they lost $325,000 in an alleged investment scheme.
Modus operandi of the Mukherjees
Investors and alleged victims said the Mukherjees provided them with remodeling contracts and invoices from the Dallas Housing Authority that made them believe in the authenticity of his projects. But eventually, it was found out that those were fake documents. According to the affidavit for arrest, the Mukherjees used a fake company with fictitious employees to apply for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan. An FBI agent met Sammy Mukherjee during the investigation and asked him whether he recognizes names like “Richard Jackson,” “Nikki Reynolds” and “Mike Summerville”. These were people listed on a payroll form that Mukherjee submitted as part of the PPP loan application, but he said he did not know the,. “In [my] 23 years, [Sammy Mukherjee] is probably the most prolific fraudster I’ve seen,” Brennan told the CBS News. “Tentacles going in all different directions.”In May, the Mukherjees hosted a charity gala with a Bollywood personality present, before they were arrested by the ICE.
Who are the Mukherjees of Texas?
According to documents, the couple came to the United States from India seeking asylum. Their current immigration status is not known. The arrest affidavit said Sammy Mukherjee has outstanding fraud warrants in Mumbai. In the local circle in Texas, Sammy is known as a Bollywood singer. Sammy Mukgerejee denied all allegations and said people were defaming him because they are jealous of his success.